Connecticut Native First To Ever Win 'Survivor' Twice

May 18, 2010

When she was handed her second $1 million check Monday morning for winning "Survivor" a second time, Connecticut native Sandra Diaz-Twine promptly stuck it in her bra.

That's where she had stashed a hidden immunity idol earlier in the 20th season of the reality show "Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains," another of the moves that led the 35-year-old former bank teller to beat Parvati Swallow in the final tribal council, 6-3, making Diaz-Twine the first person to win "Survivor" twice. "It makes me the queen," she said at the finale. "The best ever."

Diaz-Twine, who grew up in Stamford and now lives in Fayetteville, N.C., previously won "Survivor: Pearl Island," where she used the same strategy: "My goal is to make it to the end, and I make it to the end."

Diaz-Twine is also the only player who has won without ever winning a single challenge. That caused third-place Russell Hanz, who ruthlessly controlled most of the action, to call her "maybe the worst physical player to play the game." Hanz, who says the audience should have a say in who wins, got the $100,000 prize voted on by fans.

Diaz-Twine, whose husband, Marcus, returned from Afghanistan to attend the finale, still has a lot of family in the Stamford area, where she lived through sixth grade. The Sunday-night broadcast showed a "hometown celebration" in Norwalk, and she was consistently listed on the show as being from Stamford.

She wasn't the only contestant on this "Survivor," though. Cirie Fields of Norwalk also competed, but she was fourth of the 20 all-stars to be voted off this season.

The three finalists made the rounds Monday to "The CBS Early Show," where Diaz-Twine was given her check, to "Late Show With Jimmy Fallon," which was to air 12:35 a.m. this morning. In between, Diaz-Twine was booked to appear on "Live With Regis and Kelly."

On the "Early Show," she was asked what she will do with her $1 million. Perhaps taking a cue from past "Survivor" winners, she said quickly, "Pay my taxes first."

The next season of "Survivor" will take place in Nicaragua in the fall.